The New York Department of Motor Vehicles took a sober approach Tuesday:

“This new, all-consuming Pokémon GO craze has caught the entire country by surprise and as such we are concerned about the consequences playing this game can have on public safety,” DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner Terri Egan said in a statement. “Distracted driving is behavior we at DMV and GTSC speak out against all year long. What is meant to be a fun game can have tragic real-world consequences if you’re playing it while driving or crossing the street. Simply put, catching virtual creatures to get to the next level is not worth risking your life or the lives of others.”

The game warns users to keep tabs on the world while playing.

The only high-profile “crash” from the game so far seems to actually be the hoax by clickbaitey site Cartelpress, according to Snopes. So the agencies’ warnings are probably cries for attention leveraging the media buzz around the game as well as expressions of serious concern.

But repairers internationally will probably encounter a few sheepish parties involved in augmented-reality fender-benders, whether from “Pokémon GO” or any AR games inspired by its success.

Images:

Photo illustration: We put out some cards to hype ourselves while demonstrating the augmented reality of “Pokémon GO.” (Screenshot from “Pokémon GO” app, image arranged by John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)